Delta risingLITTLE ROCK — I may be from the hills of Northwest Arkansas, but I love the Delta. I was privileged recently to travel to Helena-West Helena for a big dedication — the opening of the Enviro Tech Chemical Services plant. It’s the first major industrial project to locate in the Helena Harbor. It was an exciting day. Being in Helena-West Helena always makes me feel a little more Southern. Maybe it’s the food. Or the history and music. Or because ...

General Assembly closes up shopLITTLE ROCK — When we return back to our districts this weekend, we do so knowing we passed significant tax cuts, reformed our parole system, and paved the way for innovative economic opportunities. The 90th General Assembly is now in recess until the Speaker announces a day for Sine-Die adjournment. On that day we will address any vetoes and wrap up any unfinished businesses before official adjournment. We began this session by voting to lowe...

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State House of RepresentativesThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Iran deal leaves major questions unresolvedWASHINGTON — The framework nuclear deal sealed by world powers and Iran leaves major questions: Could Iran cheat? Possibly. Would the U.S or anyone else be able to respond in time? In theory, yes. Are they prepared to use military force? Questionable. Would a final deal settle global fears about Iran’s intentions? Almost surely, no. But the surprisingly detailed fact sheet released by the United States after Thursday’s diplomatic breakthrough ...

Deepening Democratic Party divideFor those pining for a Democratic Party that tries to represent more than the whims of the rich and powerful, these are, to say the least, confusing times. On the presidential campaign trail, Hillary Clinton has been promoting standard pro-middle class rhetoric, yet also has been raking in speaking fees from financial firms. One of her potential primary challengers, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, has been sounding anti-Wall Street theme...

Fateful phone callCONWAY — On Dec. 7 of each year, our nation celebrates a Day of Remembrance that we call Pearl Harbor Day. It was on this day in 1941 that the Japanese attacked our Naval Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with the loss of 2,403 Americans killed and another 1,178 wounded. Most of our warships were either sunk or heavily damaged. The following day, war was proclaimed. Of course, most Americans know the rest of the story, but what follows ...

Life, resurrection and EasterGrowing up in rural Georgia in the 1970s, I thought of Easter not only as the resurrection of Jesus but as a sign that spring had sprung and it was time for a new Sunday dress, a hat, gloves and more chocolate than I could eat, at least at one time. My focus was less on the resurrection and new life of Jesus Christ than on standing still while my mother pinned the new dress she was sewing for me to get the right fit, and making sure that our w...

Indiana and the culture warsIf I visit a kosher restaurant and order a pork chop, am I being discriminated against when the waiter says they don’t serve pork? If an establishment requires that men wear jackets and women dress in what that establishment defines as an “appropriate way,” does that constitute discrimination? When I visit the Vatican, the Swiss Guards won’t let me in if I’m wearing shorts. They offer a cover-up. It is the same for women, if they bare too much...

Protect freedom, not enforce beliefArkansas House Bill 1228, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, doesn’t actually say anything about gay rights. What it says is, “A state action shall not substantially burden a person’s right to exercise of religion ... unless it is demonstrated that ... (it) is essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.” Of course gay rights is what led to ...

Etiquette versus annihilationRecent statements from United Nations officials, that Iran is already blocking their existing efforts to keep track of what is going on in their nuclear program, should tell anyone who does not already know it that any agreement with Iran will be utterly worthless in practice. It doesn’t matter what the terms of the agreement are, if Iran can cheat. It is amazing — indeed, staggering — that so few Americans are talking about what it would mean...

Bill targeting photographers gains approvalWhile most of the attention the past few days has been focused — and rightfully so — on a bill that will legalize discrimination against gay people in Arkansas, another incredibly bad piece of legislation will apparently become law this week. Senate Bill 79, titled “The Personal Rights Protection Act,” is awaiting only the governor’s signature. Ostensibly it’s aimed at protecting “the property rights of an individual’s name, voice, signature a...

Bill tests LGBT economic argumentLITTLE ROCK — When Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced his pick to lead the state’s economic development agency, his intent was to tout efforts to lure more jobs and compete internationally in the hunt for companies. Instead, he spent a good part of his news conference discussing his support for a religious protection law that critics say will lead to widespread discrimination against gays and lesbians. It was the latest sign of how the fig...

Ten Commandments monumentLITTLE ROCK — The Senate approved legislation to place a monument of the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the state Capitol. It would be paid for entirely with private donations, but the Secretary of State would be responsible for its placement and design. The Secretary of State’s office is in charge of maintenance of the Capitol building and its grounds. If a lawsuit is filed that challenges the constitutionality or legality of the bill, th...

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Senator-elect Greg StandridgeThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Economic development edgeLITTLE ROCK — When the housing bubble burst and the recession hit in 2008, perhaps no state suffered more than Florida. Newly constructed housing developments sat empty. Jobs fled the state. The economy tanked. At one point, unemployment in Florida reached 12 percent. This was the environment facing Governor Rick Scott and his economic-development team just a few years ago. Today, Florida’s unemployment rate is about 5.5 percent. Over the past...

Addressing workforce trainingLITTLE ROCK — As the economy and technology rapidly evolve, many workers find the need to learn new skills. And conversely, industries and businesses that are looking to call Arkansas home want assurances that well-trained and highly-skilled employees are available. This is why you have seen a bi-partisan effort in this General Assembly to address workforce training. There are 3 key pieces of legislation this session that we expect to make an ...

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State House of RepresentativesThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

If mom says she loves you, check it outThe headline to this story is an adage taught by journalism schools throughout the country. News is supposed to be based on facts and reported without bias. But alas, reporters are human and have biases, acknowledged or not. If they are blatant and obvious, then we can dismiss them out of hand, (example: Chris Matthews saying, “I felt this thrill going up my leg,” when listening to a speech given by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama). B...

The mission of FCACONWAY — There is a wonderful organization based in Kansas City, Mo., by the name of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. This is an organization made up of Christian coaches, teachers and students from all across the nation. The mission statement of FCA is “to present to athletes and coaches and all whom they influence with the challenge and adventure of following the Lord Jesus Christ through the fellowship of the church.” A coach or teache...

Hurdles remain for death penalty processLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Supreme Court’s decision upholding a 2013 lethal injection law clears a major hurdle to resuming the death penalty in a state that hasn’t executed an inmate in a decade. But the path is by no means clear for capital punishment to make a return to Arkansas. A narrowly divided court overturned a Pulaski County judge’s ruling that the Legislature’s most-recent rewrite of Arkansas’ execution law violated the state consti...

Starving beast only made it hungrierSome time in the 1970s, the Republican Party pledged allegiance to a strategy known as “starve the beast,” which said that the way to reduce the size of government was to reduce the taxes going into it. President Reagan in 1981 used another metaphor: reducing children’s allowance. Democrats, happy to increase government without paying for it, largely acquiesced. That gentlemen’s agreement has led to a sustained period where government has coll...

Education not a priority to legislatureThe 2015 session of the Arkansas General Assembly will never be mistaken for the “education session.” Legislators have shown little interest in the subject or recognition of its ability to lift our state from the bottom of national economic rankings. Last week Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, proposed to cut funding to Arkansas’ colleges and universities by as much as $14.6 million in the next fiscal year. Hester, whose main legislative achie...

Overhauling education systemLITTLE ROCK — The Senate passed and the governor publicly endorsed legislation to overhaul the state’s system of vocational, technical and occupational education. Legislative leaders have been working for at least two years on broad changes to how the state offers job training. Currently, students and people in established jobs navigate a mix of courses offered by state agencies, universities and two-year colleges, vocational schools, adult ed...

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Senator-elect Greg StandridgeThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley